Stranding or rope laying machine and its control



y 6, 1940. 'J. A. LA FRANCE ET AL 3 STRANDING OR ROPE LAYING MACHINE AND ITS CONTROL Filed Aug. 29 1939 2 Sheets$heet 1 y wev.

HEIR ATT y 1940' J. A. LA FRANCE ET AL 2 3 STRANDING 0R ROPE LAYING MACHINE AND ITS CONTROL Filed Aug. 29, 1939 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 THEIR A ORNEY.

Patented July 16, 1940 STRANDING on ROPE LAYING MACHINE AND ITS CONTROL Joseph A. La France and Daniel symrnc s,

WestHaven, Conn, assignors to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a cor poration of New Jersey 7 Application August 29, 1939. Serial No.-- 292,5- 38 .1 a

p v I Claims. (oi. 57 81)] M This invention particularly relates to stranding or rope laying machines, one of the objects being to automatically stop such a machine upon the breaking or slackening of the material with which the machine is working. Generally speaking, the principles of the invention are applicable to any machine functioning in the manner of the machines specifically mentioned.

A specified example of a horizontal tubularw ire.

strand or rope'machine embodying the principles of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying schematic drawings:

Figure 1 showing the powered end of the machine with the control in diagram form;

' Figure '1 showing in section the opposite end,

where the strand'or rope is formed;

Figure 2 showing a modification. of the arrangement of Figure 1 n v Figure}; showing a cross section of Figure 2; and 1 Figure 4 showing a further modification of the arrangement of Figure 1 More specifically referring to the drawings, the

machine includes a rotor I turned by a motor 2 and carrying spools of wire 3 journaled in era;-

dlesA supported on trunnions 5, the spools 3 re-' maining in vertical planes while the rotor l rctates. The spools 3 carry wire W which feeds over sheaves 6 longitudinally of the machine to a series of "final sheaves I circumferentially mounted hipl l v Upon leaving the sheaves 1, the wire from the various spools mutually approach a twister head ll from which they go through a closing die 9 to a power capstan In. This capstan Ill pulls thewire, now in the form "of a strand of intertwisted wires, from the die 9, this tensioning the wireback to each of the various spools 3 which are braked in the usualmanner.

The motor 2 is electrically powered through lines ll going to the usual drum controller, and the rotor I is provided with a brake l2 of the type held released against spring tension by a with its contacts l5 in circuit with the line II,

this switch having a solenoid I6 for effecting tripping and consequent opening of its contacts l5. When this occurs, the circuit through the inside the rotor l in spaced relation lines I I is interrupted s'othat the motor 2 isde-s energized, this also de'energi'zing =the=brake solenoid l3 so as to applythe brake l2 to stop the rotor 1 1 f i "-f v 1 o t Energization of the'solenoid l6 of the switch i I4 is effected: by acircuit controlled by "a 'low-volt age relay I1 "having contacts 18 through which the solenoid l6 of the switch [4 is energized The} relay H has; a solenoid l 9- for'closing its contacts ,I s, and'this solenoid I9 is energized through iines' 9 ZDpowered by the low voltage side "ofa'tranjsformer 2 I having its high' voltage side powered by the lines ll. orient the lines 21! is grounded to the rotor'l, asat 22;'the other line connecting with a brush 23 workirigona commutator! 2 which turns with the rotor I, this" cdmmu tator con'necting with an insulated wire 25 run-; fling longitudinally inside'of theperiphery of the I rotor lto an electric-contact 26 inthe form ofa circular electric conducting element-insulatingly mounted inside the periphery v0f the rotor I adjacently 'beyondthe final sheaves-1. An arm21, eachinstance, is pivoted to the axis of each of-the sheaves], this aim tending to centrifugally throw-outwardly so as to engage t electricaljcontactorgrounding the contact" 26 7 and, hence, closingthe circuit through the lines o 20. 'I'llisflenergiizes the solenoid'l9 which closes the contacts l8fo f the relay l 'l,'.th'e solenoid l6" thenbeing energized so as'to trip open the con;

mas s ofthe magnetically trippedswitch u. 40

As afcons'equence .ofthis action, the lines will it deenergizeithis deenergi'zing the motor 2 and the brake solenoid l3, whereby the brake l2 functions to immediately stop the rotor I. At the same time, the transformer 2| is deenergized, this meaning that the entire machine is electrically dead. When the trouble is remedied, the magnetically tripped switch I4 is reset and operation of the machine resumed through the medium of the usual controller working through the lines ll.

Another method of closing the circuit through the lines 20 in time of trouble is illustrated by Figures 2 and 3. In this instance, an uninsulated wire 25 extends longitudinally inside the procureethis necessary'efiecty by the wire 25 This closes the circuit throug'h the lines 20 and produces the effect previously mentioned. I

A further example, shown by'Figure 4; consists in eliminating the arms 21 and providing a second electrical contact 26 thataisi similar to the contact 26 excepting that it is of smaller.

diameter and mounted concentrically inside'the tric: contacts and: the contacts! are; electrically interconnected. Therefore; upon; breaking orv slackening of the wire W, it engages oneor the other ofzthe electric.- contacts 26 and: 2.6 this again closing'the -circuit' through-- the lines 20: It will. be noted that, since the-machine is working-with a metallic wire-,the wirei'itself functions as an electric contactor' which: engages; the cirfii cularcontacts 26-or26a As=soon:as-,-thernachine stops there-is no longer: any cur-rent' in the machine -for reasons mentioned before; this f meaning that. it v is unnecessary to -takez any precautions the like to:

in :theway of operating switched and We claim:

- a -1- A? stranding't or ropelaying machine inc1ud-- ing the combination ora-rotor, an electric motor 'for turning said rotor, abrak exfor-i stopping said.

i rotor, aspool mounted iby said rotorfeeding-material-under1 tension, an electric switch actuated;

by; release. of tensiorronsaid material,- an -electromagnetic switch having. an. operating solenoid andcontactaa circuit for, powering-said solenoid. through the. first namediswitch a solenoid-for.

operating. said .brake anda circuit-for. powering;

said moton and. the .lastnamed. solenoid through.

saidI.contacts..

; A. stranding. or. rope laying... machine. include for turning. said. rotor, .a brake-for; stopping said rotor, a spool. mounted. said,- rotor. feeding.

materialunden tension, an electricaswitch' actue. atediby release.of.tension.on, said.material, an electromagnetic. switchhaving .an -dperatingsolenoid? and: contacts, a. circuit ion poweringsaid solenoid, through the. first named switch,- .a. solenoidj foroperating said. brake and a circuit. for.-v poweringsaid motonandthelast named solenoid. 1

through said contacts, .a. transformer. energizing the first namedcircuitrf-romthe second; named of the wire W feeding over it'under tension, but in case the wire breaks or becomes undulyslack; the loop springs outwardly so as to be contacted.

latter; The. wireW feeds betweenthese :two elec-- L ing the combination of a rotor,.,an electric motor.

circuit, whereby the first named circuit is deenergized when the second named circuit is deenergized.

3. A stranding or rope laying machine includingthe combination of a rotor, an electric motor for turning said rotor, a brake for stopping'said rotor, a spool mounted by saidirotor feeding material under tension, an electric switch actuated by release of tension on said material, an electromagnetic switch having an operating solenoid and contacts, a. circuit for powering said solenoid'through' the first named switch, a solenoid for operating said brake and a circuit for powering' said motor and the last named solenoid through said'contacts, a transformer energizing the first named circuit from the second named circuit, whereby the first named circuit is deenergized when, the second named circuit is deenergized, said material being metallic and the firstnamed circuit being formed, in part, by said material. I i

4-. A stranding or rope laying machine including. thecombination of a rotor, an electric motor. for turning'said rotor, a brake'for. stopping. said rotor,. a spool mounted by said rotor feeding. material under tension and means automatically? responsive to the release of tension on said mate-. rial for deenergizing saidmotor. and. applying said brake, said means including an electric. contact extending longitudinally of said rotor, an

electric contactor in the. form. of. a member mounted adjacent saidspoolso as to be engaged andv restrained.bymaterialleavingthe same under tension andv which tends to move outwardly from saidspool toengageisaid contact, said spool being mounted so thatsaidrotor rotatesrelative said spool and. an electric circuit. controlled by said contactand contactor.

5. A stranding ,or. .rope laying :machine .including the combination of a rotor, an electric motor. for. turningsaid .rotor, .abrake. for. stopping said rotor, a spool mounted by said} rotor. feeding materialunder. tension andmeans. automatically responsive. to the release of tension .on. said material. for deenergizing... said motor and, applying said. brake, said rotor; mounting. a. plurality of.

said spoolsand the. latter. feeding material.under;

'material at said end incircumferentially spaced.

relation jrespefcting; said, rotor, said. automatic.

7 means including a circular electric contact positioned adjacent the normalpathsof. said. material, .an electric contacton for eachpiece of. said material, that tends .tomove. towardrsaid circular. contact and .whichmistrestrained from contactingthesame by tension on.said., pieces and an electric circuit. controlled by saidcontactand. said contactors.

' JOSEPH A.-I rA .lE"-'R;ANCE.v

, DANIEL D. SYMMES. 

